Respond in Kind
by Apapazukamori
Summary: It's Ken's turn to offer a gift [Follow up to An Unusual Gift][Ranken]


Respond in Kind  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Whoever said rainy days were equal to dismal thoughts and tears had never, ever talked to Ken. Despite the chill of the late fall rain, the brunette was running around outside on the sidewalks barefoot, yelling at the top of his lungs and jumping in the dead center of every puddle he could find. He had tried in vain to get both Ran and Omi to join him, and the two 'party poopers' stood at the windows of the apartment and watched him act like a maniac.   
  
Ran brought his mug of hot cider to his lips just in time to hide the small grin that spilled across his face unchecked. He found that happening a often lately, showing emotion when others were around. It was Ken's fault entirely, and if Ran even had a semblance of a choice, he would have put a stop to his brown-haired koi's obvious attempts to bring him out of his shell. However, he couldn't say no to anything Ken wanted, not with the knowledge of the other's unquestioning acceptance of his past and Aya. Ran wasn't alone anymore, and no matter how frightening that thought became, it was somehow preferable.   
  
"OMI, YOU GOTTA COME OUT HERE! IT'S GREAT!!"   
  
Omi snickered and shook his head. "Ken-kun's too much."   
  
The grinning brunette ran inside the shop and they could hear him crashing around, cursing as his wet feet as he slid around on the linoleum floor. Omi was doubled over laughing by the time Ken thundered up the stairs, breathing heavily. He stood in the doorway, attempting to calm his excited gasping and stared at Ran with mischief in his twinkling eyes. Ran raised an eyebrow in return, noting the growing puddle beneath the brunette's bare feet.   
  
"You need a towel."   
  
Ken's grin simply widened. He took a step, rocked back, and launched forward with a speed that contradicted any snide comments about his coordination. Ran realized his intentions a second too late and braced for impact as Ken tackled him and they both tumbled to the floor in an ungraceful heap. The soaked clothing was freezing as the liquid passed between them and leeched the warmth out of Ran's skin. Ken propped himself up on his arms and winked at Ran before bending down to kiss him.   
  
Ran caught the giggle coming from across the room and remembered Omi's presence in the room. Panicked, he shoved Ken to the side before their lips could make contact. Ken fell off of him with a yelp as Ran climbed to his feet and then glared at him. Ken glared back, then stuck his tongue out and pulled down the skin below his eye. Ran snorted, shaking his head. "Childish."   
  
"No more than you, dumbass." Ken shot back, standing up and stripping the dripping shirt off. Exposed to the open air, he shivered. Muttering something about taking a shower and Ran not being invited to join him, Ken stomped up the stairs and disappeared into the upper floors.   
  
Huffily, Ran turned back to the window as the rain continued to pelt the glass. Ken was the child, with no self control and no forethought. A lack of inhibition wasn't appropriate and Ken needed to realize that. And he would *not* think about how unbelievably sexy Ken had looked with his hair plastered to his face and his wet shirt clinging to him like some sort of wrinkled, emerald green skin. Across the room, Omi made some soft 'tsk' sounds and returned to the kitchen where his homework lay half finished.   
  
"OI AAAAAAAAAAYA!! C'MERE!!"   
  
Ran jumped out of his skin as the shout echoed through the house. Omi snickered, then laughed harder as they could hear shouting coming from Yohji's room one floor up. Deliberately walking at half speed, Ran headed up to the third floor. Who was Ken to order him around? And why had he called him by his sister's name? If it was just an attempt to irritate him, then it just proved Ran's previous point a second time.   
  
Ken met him at the top of the stairs, still wearing his wet clothing. "Took you long enough!" He jabbed, placing clenched fists on his hips.   
  
"You said I wasn't invited." Ran sniffed in return. "You're going to get sick if you stay in those clothes, Ken."   
  
Ken shrugged dismissively. "I've got something for you." He said as he walked to his room, never looking back, expecting Ran to follow. Curious, Ran did just that.   
  
He instantly regretted setting foot into the soccer player's room when something impaled his big toe through his sock. Growling, Ran stood in the doorway, refusing to go any further. Ken eyed him, amused, as he waded through the piles of pure junk that littered his floor. A pig at home in the sty, Ran thought uncharitably, though the idea did make him smile faintly. Ken was nothing if not adaptable.   
  
"Okay, close your eyes and hold out your hand." Ken ordered. Ran just stared at him, giving him his best 'I-think-you're-an-idiot' glare. Ken sighed and tugged on one of Ran's eartails a little. "Come on, it won't kill you!"   
  
"If it came from this room, it just might."   
  
Ken rolled his eyes, then held one hand over Ran's eyes and took his hand. Ran let him, but only because he had made it clear that he thought Ken was being stupid. He felt something warm drop into his palm and he waited, albeit now a little less patiently, for Ken to let him see what it was.   
  
"You can't laugh." Ken said as he pulled his hand away. Confused, Ran looked down at what was in his hand.   
  
It was a cheap piece of girl's jewelry. Shaped into half a heart with the English letters "BE FRI" carved into its pewter surface. There was a hole at the top of it for a chain to go through. Ran's eye twitched as he tried to understand what the hell he was looking at.   
  
Ken rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "We..well, it was sort of an impulse buy. I was walking through the mall looking for a present for Karen's birthday, she's going to be ten next week and I saw that hanging on one of the racks and thought I'd get it."   
  
"Ken, our logics don't work the same." Ran said, turning the charm over in his hand. "I still don't know why you're giving this to me."   
  
"Oh, yeah...." Ken flushed. "Well, I know you don't like letting people know that we're together--" He held up his hands as Ran moved to justify the comment. "Which is fine, I guess, considering we're both guys and all. People might think we're weird or something. But it's small, you know, and no one would really notice it. I left out the chain so you can put it anywhere, I didn't want you to think that I wanted you to wear it around your neck."   
  
The pieces were slowly starting to fit together in Ran's mind as Ken babbled on. "And see, mine has the last part of the words on it." Ken held out a long chain with the second half of the set dangling from it. "And it doesn't even say 'love' or anything, just 'friends' so you don't have to get nervous with people wondering."   
  
Ran was hit with the absurdity of Ken thinking he would be worried that people thought he had a boyfriend if the charm had said anything about love. That was Ken, completely disregarding that someone would find it strange that he was wearing girl's jewelry, worried only how public affection would affect Ran. Glancing down at the pendant, Ran chuckled softly.   
  
"He-hey! I said you couldn't laugh!" Ken sputtered angrily.   
  
Ran closed his hand over the charm and looked up at his lover's flashing teal eyes. The charm did say friends, *best* friends, but it didn't do their relationship any justice. He reached up and gently traced the curve of Ken's cheek with his free hand. The younger boy reacted instinctively and leaned into it, eyes fluttering closed. Ran took a step forward, carefully avoiding the pair of muddy soccer cleats in his path and pulled his koi close. "Thank you, Ken." He whispered into the still wet brown hair.   
  
Ken caught his eyes and favored him with a broad smile before getting up on his tiptoes and kissing him gently. Ran responded, running the tip of his tongue against the closed lips, asking for permission. Ken immediately opened his mouth to him and tangled his fingers in Ran's red hair as the kiss deepened.   
  
Sorely regretting the need for air, Ran pulled back and caught his breath.   
  
"You know, I really have to get out of these wet clothes..." Ken let his statement drift, grinning wolfishly up at Ran, who laughed quietly and kissed him lightly on the forehead.   
  
"Anything I can do to help?"   
  
Ken closed the door behind Ran and thumbed off the light switch. "I'm sure I could think of something..."   
  
~*~Owari~*~ 


End file.
